Technical Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to semantic database searching.
Discussion of Art
Semantic databases are well-known. Such databases may be built from a conceptual data model that specifies relationships among data objects.
The users of semantic databases typically are experts in the subject matter (sometimes called the “domain”) to which the data relates. Typically such users do not have expert knowledge about how databases are constructed nor are they typically versed in the particular framework of relationships (sometimes called an “ontology”) among data classes that was used to build the database they wish to search. They may also not be familiar with formal requirements for composing valid search queries. Therefore, database users may sometimes need to pursue the potentially inconvenient process of consulting with an expert in the design of the database in order to obtain desired information from the database.
The present inventors have now recognized opportunities to provide an improved tool for constructing semantic database search queries, where the tool may be readily usable by domain experts without requiring them to consult database design experts or to have expertise in database design themselves.